Jim Gilliam: The Forgotten Dodger

Steve Dittmore, PhD
Aug 18, 2024
2
Share

Raised by his mother in the Jim Crow South, Jim Gilliam’s passion was baseball. He never commanded the spotlight, yet he was instrumental in the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers reaching seven World Series, winning four, during his career. He never had a permanent position and was frequently the subject of trade rumors. Remembered as a role player, Gilliam sacrificed his statistics for the good of the team. A company man.



His career highlights make for a fascinating read, but there are larger stories to tell: his career closely paralleled the many groundbreaking changes in baseball in the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. His career was a journey beginning on the sandlots of Nashville to a pro career launched in the Negro Leagues to the first wave of Black players breaking the segregated gates of Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers. After retirement, he was central in discussions of further baseball integration, mentioned often as a potential managerial candidate before his life tragically ended due to complications of a brain hemorrhage at age 49, on the eve of the 1978 World Series.

His career as a player and a coach with the Dodger franchise spanned three decades. He often entered spring training without a permanent position in the lineup or as trade bait, but still averaged 140 games played over 14 seasons, including two seasons as a player-coach.
​
For as long as I can recall, I have wanted to research and write a book, but when I began this project in 2019, I really had no idea where the narrative would go, with whom I would interact, or, for that matter, how I would accomplish this. Perhaps that is why this published book is both satisfying and amazing now that it is complete. This was an endeavor I could not have completed alone and I am forever grateful for the support of people, many of whom graciously gave of their time, expertise, and connections. That so many strangers would do this for me speaks to the universal regard with which people remember Jim Gilliam.

The book can be purchased directly from August Publications. The official publication date is February 4, 2025. In the meantime, I am available for podcasts, interviews, and virtual book talks. Please reach out if that is of interest. Thank you!

Book Publicity: